Reach out to some local small business owners near you and ask if you could interview them to learn more about their journey, starting a business, and any advice they have!

Interview a small business owner! 

Do some research on culinary schools using College Confidential to find out if that is the right path for you. Use the filters on the side to optimize your search!

Research culinary schools!

Read an article that'll help you understand the basics on cooking, then choose one to try at home!

Get science-based tips to improve your cooking.

Watch clips from "How It's Made" to see how objects like artificial limbs, nails, footballs, mustard, and more are made. Choose a few to watch--which one surprised you most?

Watch how the objects all around us are made.

Read this article and then establish your own value system by ranking the values you see here in order of what's most important to you. Is there anything you would add? 

Define your own value system.

Find a simple recipe to try! Explore the cookbook section of your library--ask for help from the librarian if you need it!--or find a food blog. Choose a recipe and try it yourself or with friends!

Explore recipes and start cooking!

Look at your Roadmap and try to find (or create) the community at the intersection of your Foundation and Core Interests. Reach out to others that share your interests and work together to expand your capabilities. 

Find your niche.

Watch this short clip to learn about the science and processes behind how chocolate is made. 

Learn how chocolate is made!

Got a great idea for a business? Do research, audit a business class, interview local business owners, or talk to your mentors and find out what it takes to start your own business. 

Learn how to start your own business. 

Like to create? Whether it's shirts, designs, crafts, or other handmade items, gain business experience by developing a marketing strategy for those items. Ask your mentor for help getting started!

Make your own stuff and practice marketing it!

The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).

The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).

The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.

The ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions.

The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.

The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

The ability to focus on a single source of sound in the presence of other distracting sounds.

The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.

The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.

Food Batchmakers

Set up and operate equipment that mixes or blends ingredients used in the manufacturing of food products. Includes candy makers and cheese makers.

Work involves designing, building, or repairing of equipment, materials, or structures, engaging in physical activity, or working outdoors. Realistic occupations are often associated with engineering, mechanics and electronics, construction, woodworking, transportation, machine operation, agriculture, animal services, physical or manual labor, athletics, or protective services.

Realistic

Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.

Conventional

Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.

Enterprising

Work involves studying and researching non-living objects, living organisms, disease or other forms of impairment, or human behavior. Investigative occupations are often associated with physical, life, medical, or social sciences, and can be found in the fields of humanities, mathematics/statistics, information technology, or health care service.

Investigative

Work involves creating original visual artwork, performances, written works, food, or music for a variety of media, or applying artistic principles to the design of various objects and materials. Artistic occupations are often associated with visual arts, applied arts and design, performing arts, music, creative writing, media, or culinary art.

Artistic

Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.

Social

Founder

Chocolatier

Co-Founder

Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed

Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.

Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.

Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.

Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.

Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.

Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.

Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

Controlling operations of equipment or systems.

Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Miscellaneous Food Processing Workers

Production Occupations

Food Processing Workers

Record production and test data for each food product batch, such as the ingredients used, temperature, test results, and time cycle.

Clean and sterilize vats and factory processing areas.

Set up, operate, and tend equipment that cooks, mixes, blends, or processes ingredients in the manufacturing of food products, according to formulas or recipes.

Mix or blend ingredients, according to recipes, using a paddle or an agitator, or by controlling vats that heat and mix ingredients.

Follow recipes to produce food products of specified flavor, texture, clarity, bouquet, or color.

Give directions to other workers who are assisting in the batchmaking process.

Select and measure or weigh ingredients, using English or metric measures and balance scales.

Press switches and turn knobs to start, adjust, and regulate equipment, such as beaters, extruders, discharge pipes, and salt pumps.

Determine mixing sequences, based on knowledge of temperature effects and of the solubility of specific ingredients.

Observe and listen to equipment to detect possible malfunctions, such as leaks or plugging, and report malfunctions or undesirable tastes to supervisors.

Microsoft Office software

Plex Systems Plex Manufacturing Cloud

Edible Software

Candy cookers

Candy stoves

Chocolate melters

Commercial induction cookers

Depositing pumps

Injector pumps

Metered transfer pumps

Revolving pan depositors

Centrifugal clarifiers

Cheese finishing tables

Cheese presses

Cheese vats

Agitators

Beaters

Cooker mixers

Cream beaters

Food heating cabinets

Heating tables

Levelers

Sizers

Commercial use homogenizers

Tilting commercial cooking kettles

Water-cooled kettles

Dough processing machines

Extruders

Cheese cutters

Roller cutters

Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).

Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.

Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.

Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

How often does this job require wearing common protective or safety equipment such as safety shoes, glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats or life-jackets?

Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets

Every day

Once a week or more but not every day

How frequently does your job require face-to-face discussions with individuals and within teams?

Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams

Once a month or more but not every week

More than half the time

About half the time

How important is it to this job that the pace is determined by the speed of equipment or machinery? (This does not refer to keeping busy at all times on this job.)

Extremely important

Very important

Fairly important

How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?

Important

How important is it to work with or contribute to a work group or team in this job?

Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team

How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?

Never

How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?

Very high responsibility

Moderate responsibility

How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls?

Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls

Less than half the time

How important are continuous, repetitive, physical activities (like key entry) or mental activities (like checking entries in a ledger) to performing this job?

Food Batchmakers

Overview

Career

What Food Batchmakers Do

Other Job Titles Food Batchmakers May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Food Batchmakers

Overview

Career

What Food Batchmakers Do

Other Job Titles Food Batchmakers May Have

Tasks & Responsibilities May Include

Education

Level of Education Attained by Food Batchmakers

Majors Related to Career

Related Careers

Related Leaders